Council endorses Inverness as a coach friendly city

Ardross Street, Inverness will be established as the permanent drop off and pick up point for coaches visiting the city from April 2015 onwards.

A decision to make current temporary traffic order arrangements into a permanent traffic order was approved by members of the City of Inverness and Area Committee today (2 December 2014).

Leader of the City of Inverness and Area Committee Councillor Ian Brown said: “If we want tourists and visitors to come to Inverness by coach we need to provide somewhere suitable close to the city centre for them to drop off and pick up their passengers. We have looked across the city for suitable locations and Ardross Street is the most appropriate location. Tourism is a back-bone of the Highland economy. We have been told by tour coach operators that is vital that the Capital of the Highlands has appropriate coach parking that is close to the city centre.

“Since 2013 when the temporary traffic order was put in place, we have been made aware that there have been some issues raised, particularly related to parking enforcement and coach drivers leaving their engines running for long periods. We have listened to the concerns raised by residents and businesses and will address these with increased levels of enforcement.”

The permanent traffic order for Ardross Street covering the Northern Meeting Park side of the street will include the removal of pay and display bays; and coaches will be allowed to drop off and pick up from 10am to 5pm only. Coaches will be prohibited at all other times.

A permanent traffic order for Ardross Street will be promoted in due course; signage will be installed across the road network throughout the city and publicity material will be produced to promote Ardross Street as the city’s coach drop off and pick up site.

To address the concerns of enforcement and engines running Members also agreed to pilot the appointment of a Coach Ambassador subject to funding approval from the Inverness Common Good Fund. The Ambassador would be the first point of contact for local residents and businesses to raise potential issues which would be followed up by the Ambassador with traffic wardens and police.